


Restart

by MegaWallflower



Category: Naruto
Genre: Childhood Friends, Cute Kids, Fluff, M/M, POV Hatake Kakashi, Rivalry, Silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-25 07:09:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17720507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MegaWallflower/pseuds/MegaWallflower
Summary: This is the beginning of a beautiful rivalry.A short piece set after episode 241.





	Restart

The horizon was aglow with the last sputters of light from the setting sun. The sky was a beautiful mix of golds, reds, and purples. The faintest hint of stars started to peek out of the colors and shimmered in the dying light.

But Kakashi wasn’t watching the sunset.

Instead, he was staring at his hand, still balled into a loose fist. He’d never lost to Guy in _anything_ before. Thinking on it, Kakashi couldn’t recall having actually lost to _anyone_ who wasn’t a jonin.

Next to him, the supposed victor sat with a stupidly giddy grin on his face, giggling to himself.

Kakashi’s mouth twitched, unsure what expression it wanted to make. It was _annoying_ , losing to a guy like this. It was annoying losing at all. But Kakashi was more relieved than he wanted to admit that Guy had at least some crying and groveling on the ground.

“I did it! I won! The score is 4-1! An easily surmountable climb!” The older boy piped up, swinging his legs from the edge of the cliff. Falling onto his back with a satisfied sigh, Guy tilted his head to the side, flashing a grin at Kakashi. “Our eternal rivalry is going to be one of epic proportions, Kakashi! The most famous rivalry in the Hidden Leaf Village!”

A bold claim from the boy who was still trying to catch his breath from today. Kakashi shifted slightly as he glanced to his supposed rival. “It’s not over yet?”

“Of course not! There are countless other things we still have to compete in! Swimming! Summoning! Eating!!” Noticing the half-lidded gaze boring into him, Guy widened his grin and started naming even more ridiculous competitions. “…Dancing! Singing! Sewing! Holding our breath! _Glaring_ contests! –Fashion contests!”

Kakashi bit his lower lip to keep himself from laughing as Guy went on, but he couldn’t hold his laughter back at the last one, and soon he was laughing at the idea of a fashion competition about the boy in bandages and a bright green jumpsuit. Once his laughter had died down, Kakashi caught Guy looking at him with a soft expression he hadn’t seen before. It wasn’t longing like Rin’s or doting like Minato’s…

Kakashi looked away hurriedly. He didn’t give much thought to things like that. Besides, Guy had always been more simpleminded than those two. Simpler to deal with than everyone else, except maybe Obito.

“We should have a laughing contest too,” Guy continued. “Whatever that would mean. I’ll think of it! You have a nice laugh, but mine is definitely louder! A-HA-HAH!” he said, punctuating the statement with a very exaggerated, very fake laugh. His hair rustled slightly with his movement.

Kakashi hummed, eyes instantly drawn to the motion, because it just occurred to him that Guy apparently had _ears_ under there. In all the time he’d known Guy, this might be his first time seeing those, for some reason. Was this how people felt about the lower half of Kakashi’s face?

When he noticed Kakashi’s gaze, Guy tilted his head and stared quizzically.  “Hm?”

Kakashi blinked, shaking his head to try and get out of his thoughts. “Your haircut is different.”

“Huh?” Guy’s brow quirked up in confusion. “Um…”

“Your hair,” Kakashi repeated, pointing in case the message still wasn’t getting across. It wasn’t a great change in subject, but it was something. “Why’d you cut your hair? The bowl-cut looks weird.”

“My hair… From before? Wait, you…” Guy’s mouth swung open in a wide gape and he just stared in pure shock. “You recognize me from before?! You knew who I was?!”

Guy jumped to his feet and flailed around nervously. Now Kakashi stared at him in confusion. “…What?”

“I— I got a haircut and a new outfit since the last time you saw me! I even very specifically didn’t wear my scarf today! I’m taller and buffer and cooler and—why’d you let me introduce myself if you already knew who I was?! Today was supposed to be my big debut as someone who can really stand side-by-side with you! How did you even… Gaah!”

Guy was serious –of course he was. Of course he was the type to think _that_ was a disguise. Kakashi let out a quiet chuckle.

“Hey! Don’t laugh! You are ruining my big establishing moment, you know, Rival!”

“Really? Like I’d forget the boy who always ran in to challenge me, his man of destiny?” Kakashi mocked out. “I thought that introduction was because _you_ seriously thought that was our first-time meeting.”

“Of course, it wasn’t! I remember you better than anyone else! Kakashi Hatake, son of the White Fang, my elite rival… Gah! I practiced that in the mirror so many times! It’s not cool anymore!”

“That was supposed to be _cool_?”

“Yes! Papa even helped me plan out my big speech to you! And you’re _laughing_!”

Kakashi couldn’t help but laugh even more at that. For a moment, Guy looked offended, but he cracked a smile a few seconds later, breathing out what might have been a sigh or a laugh. “Fine! Have your laugh! Like I said, it’s a nice laugh anyway! But mine will still be louder, and I’m the one who’s going to have the last laugh!” Guy punctuated that statement with another forced, stilted laugh. “At the very least, today’s the first day I’m keeping track of our score! Everything before now doesn’t count! So, it’s 4-1!”

“How convenient for you.” They had done countless silly competition by now. If they had been counting from the start, Kakashi would lead by a lot more than three.

“It’s convenient for the both of us! This is a fresh start! Don’t you want a rival who’s closer to matching you?! A good rival?”

Kakashi scoffed. “That won’t make me forget all the weird stuff and competitions we already had, even if we’re only keeping count now.”

“That’s just fine! It’s more motivation for me!” Guy seemed genuinely pleased with that. “But I’m a little relieved. When I saw that I wouldn’t be on your team, I was worried you’d just forget all about me.”

“I won’t forget you. Believe me, I try all the time.” That last part was said with a sharp look towards Guy, but he seemed to miss it.

“Thanks!”

“That wasn’t a compliment…”

“Oh! Well, in that case…” Guy gave Kakashi a thumbs-up. “Thanks for cheering me on!”

“You really haven’t changed a bit.”

“I have an eternity to prove you wrong there! An eternity to match you and an eternity to get you to like me!”

“…It’s not like I hated you,” Kakashi stated dryly.

“You…” Guy squinted as Kakashi met his eyes, leaning forward pensively. “You’re are so weirdly nice sometimes.” He decided, nodding his head once decisively. “Your eyes don’t lie, Kakashi! Admit it! You’re excited for this rivalry with me, too!”

Kakashi finally stood up, staring up at his “rival” with his hands on his hips, returning his slight challenge. “You’re weirdly delusional sometimes.”

Guy laughed fondly. “I like you, Kakashi. I didn’t get my cool introduction, but I’m happy you remembered me. I guess you truly are my best friend!” They both knew Guy didn’t exactly have a long list of friends to choose from, so it was less of a compliment and more of a fact by default.

Honestly, neither did Kakashi. For _very_ different reasons. “…I guess you’re mine, too. Huh. That’s sad for both of us.”

They both laughed again.


End file.
